Last Kiss?
by lorracorra
Summary: Set after C.F. and the "There is no District 12" line. I didn't like the ending, so I wrote this.I think I like this pairing better than what I was going to originally do, and I don't see this couple often, so there.Bumped up the rating for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Greasy Sae. Ripper. Madge and her parents. Even the new Head Peacekeepers; all dead. I pull at the black stockings that cling to my thighs as Gale, Haymitch, Finnick, Plutarch and I trudge our way through the sands covering the outskirts of District 13. **_**"There is no District 12" **_**I can still hear those awful words reverberating in my head as clear as the periwinkle sky above us. I had chosen to abstain from speaking with Gale, not that it would change anything; he was just someone to blame at the time. So was Haymitch, but dialogue between us had literally become monosyllabic on both our parts. **_**"There is no District 12" **_**I can only hope that Prim and my mother are safe, as Gale told me earlier, though it's getting harder to trust **_**any**_**one now. "Stop dragging your feet!" Haymitch snarls, and I grind them into the tawny sand just to annoy him. It has the desired effect; he looks as if he wants to scratch my eyes out. **

**The other three in our ragtag entourage say nothing to intervene. Their patronizing pleas and verbal chastisements have not been uttered since we left the hovercraft. Almost two days ago. We could not make the entire journey via said aircraft because we had to throw off the President, who was hot on our trails. We couldn't lead him straight to District 13, now could we? "Honeysbee, how far are we now?" I ask innocently. I could see him grimace at the nickname I'd dubbed him as lately. "If we make haste, we should arrive at the gates by nightfall." he sighs. "We'd be making a lot more haste if the Mockingjay would stop dragging her feet" I heard Finnick grumble. Before I can start my rant, Honeysbee cuts in "We're all tired, so let's everyone stop taking offense to what the other does" Haymitch nods "The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll be out of each other's company" This silences us, but does nothing to alleviate my growing fatigue. Nor Gale's either, because he soon stops to rest of his own accord. Not being able to deny him in his current condition, Haymitch does the same; the tacit cue for us to follow suit, though none would admit this. "Katniss, the food" Finnick says impatiently. I smirk, feeling empowered that I have **_**some **_**control in this dismal situation. But it fades too quickly, driven off by the image of when I'd fed both myself and little Rue in the first arena, how she stared at her leg of groosling questioningly.**

**I ration out the dried fruit and leave the bread for Finnick to distribute. Though the Quell was over, he still fondled them for a few seconds before handing me mine first. My thoughts go back to the others; Johanna, Peeta, and Enobaria. **_**Are they still alive? Maybe they're dead by now. No, not Peeta. If anything they'll keep him alive and torture him**_**. I stop thinking, because I don't like the fact that moisture has slipped down my cheeks. Gale scoots next to me and I turn my back to him. He strokes my arm "They're fine" he says, as if reading my mind. I relax and nibble a little more on the pale green roll before passing it to him "Here, you need it more than me. And besides," I add in a low tone, "It's not as if I could eat anyway" **

"**Katniss--" Honeysbee begins, but I cut him off "No, I don't want your pity! Haymitch and Gale are from the **_**same**_** district and you aren't babying them up, are you?" I fume. He frowns slightly but this shuts him up. Gale doesn't hold his peace, though "Katniss, I don't know why you're acting like this! Everyone here has done all they can to help you and you act like such a…" rage does not allow him to finish, and the others pick up where he left off. "Bratty" Finnick mutters "Ungrateful" Honeysbee adds. **

**Haymitch finishes with "Little ingrate that we're all continuing to despise" I calm because I realize they're right. However, I already have a ready rebuttal "I thought you weren't talking to me, anyway Haymitch" I snap. "Just like you aren't talking to your boyfriend?" He quips, causing my cheeks to redden. "Gale isn't--" I stop, but the damage is done. He retreats to the most private area amongst the vast sandy desert: behind a large dune. I follow and sit next to him, neither of us speaking. I find myself getting angry again, because really he's to blame. I have enough to deal with trying to figure out my emotions towards Peeta, and here he comes to complicate the matter. He is, again, the first to speak "Katniss, who am I?" it's a ridiculous question that I would normally give a ridiculous answer to. But I know Gale better than to look on the surface of his inquiry. "I don't know, Gale, really." He does nothing to hide his distaste. "So you love the boy?" **_**Not Peeta, just 'the boy'**_**. "No" I say uneasily. His gray eyes flicker "So you love me?" I don't respond, and he reacts worse than before. His eyes narrow and it's as if I'm sitting with a stranger now. I touch his arm, but he brushes me away. Not being able to bear his new silence, I plant a kiss on his lips. They've chapped in the merciless sun, but have also warmed considerably. Before I know it we're done, and I don't just mean with the kiss. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I know it's been a while, but to those still loyal to my little posts, then I applaud you for your patience. Hopefully, now that I'm back from my, um, little vacation in the Labyrinth, my writing won't totally stink. Anyway, like I said, it's been a while since I did this, so normal disclaimers apply; I don't own anything, yadda yadda. Enjoy! **

I don't know why I didn't figure that out sooner. I should've figured that out much more quickly than the rest, especially Finnick, of all people. I guess I don't give him as much credit as I should, though I haven't had the time to really pay attention to him for all the awkwardness between Gale and I. Or maybe just I, since Gale seems to have no problem refuting my existence. He hasn't said a word to me since last evening, after my bumbling attempt at a kiss with him proved to be utterly futile. He hadn't reacted, just bore it for a while until he placed a firm hand between my chests and pushed me back, minutely yet insistently, leaving me to perspire in my pits and palms alone.

I don't know which is worse, the fact that he now hates me or the fact that Finnick, arrogant Finnick Odair, has figured out a way to make me look like more of an idiot than I already am. Upon closely inspecting one of the sand dunes that have been popping up more frequently of late, he found out that they weren't sand dunes at all, but were actually _homes_ cleverly under the guise of the arbitrary mounds. We managed to get that far before he and HoneysBee started arguing about whether or not we should stay in the house we'd discovered.

"It is empty, so it's probably abandoned. And if it's not, then we'll just tell them who Katniss is and they'll understand. It's just that simple, Plutarch." Finnick reasoned. I smiled at the look of incredulity on his face. "Absolutely not! Do you know what kind of danger we could be subjecting not only ourselves but the other Districts to? If the people living here come back and are perhaps spies, do you think they'd hesitate before turning us over to Snow? And without a leader, without the hope that their _MockingJay _provides, how much longer do you think the Districts will last in their efforts to rebel?" Plutarch asked gravely. Both had a point, but we couldn't go on much longer; Gale looked about ready to prance in Death's shadows right now. Hey, just because I have no contact with him doesn't mean I don't know him anymore, and I know when he's had his fill of pain.

"Guys, I think we should stop. At least for Gale" I said, gaining both their attention. Gale's eyes hardened as if composed of the very substance he mined "I'm fine" he rasped, obviously anything but. I guess the other two were convinced, though, because they both started heading to the little dune after a consensual nod. I smiled at their easy relent, though still uneasy about the way Gale was acting towards me.

The inside of the little dune-house was cozy, though blatantly warm, and I had a hard time keeping it together when I saw the little goat sitting quietly in a corner of the kitchen. There was sand everywhere on the floor, and the walls were sealed in metal. However, the large couch and coffee table that took up the living room was all too inviting, and helped warm some of the chilliness the metal brought on. I ventured to the kitchen, just adjacent to the living room and connected by an open archway, and saw the Masonic tile on the counters of metal, lining the sink and cabinets. The refrigerator, large and well-stocked with meats, held a certain allure no mere boy ever could, and I found myself being drawn to it as if in a trance.

"Easy, Katniss, don't wanna' eat them out of their house and home, do you?" Finnick's teasing brought me out of my food-induced reverie, and I dropped the tub of ice-cream I was holding along with the slice of cake. I frowned, and he chuckled. "No, Katniss, don't ruin your face like that, it's too pretty" he scolded, and I brushed past him and into the living room.

"Ice cream, anyone?" I offered, though I had no intention of sharing the soft treat. Something about the way Plutarch only laughed nervously and Gale's brow furrowed made my heart skip a beat.  
"What is it? What's going on?" I demanded, and neither answered me. Setting the ice cream and cake down on the coffee table, I crossed my arms, a tacit threat. Plutarch sighed.

"Katniss, it's…it's Haymitch. He's gone missing" he whispered.

A/N: Alright, I think I'm going to stop this story. I am not really as good at HG fics as I thought it would be, so I don't know. Maybe I'll just give this one up and focus on my Zutara ones, I guess. Thank you for reading this much, though, your support has been touching!


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